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Join Blues beat writer Jim Thomas for his live chat at 1 p.m. Wednesday

Get your questions ready and join in at 1 p.m. Wednesday for our weekly Blues chat.

3rd & 7 37yd

Hah! There's so many Detroit Blues on the squad, they may he to do it between periods. I would say you have to do Perron and Sundqvist for sure - they are Cup veterans after all, which can't be said about Walman and Husso.
Maybe just do them all at once.

by jthomas 1/18/2023 9:06:07 PM
There was a report from a Detroit publication that the Blues had 2 scouts and the Director of Player Personel at a game just the other night. Any idea who they are scouting

by Liz 1/18/2023 9:06:47 PM
No. Sorry.

by jthomas 1/18/2023 9:07:05 PM
Your inclusion of trading Barbashev makes no sense to me. He does so many little things for the Blues including penalty kills, being on the ice to close out games, some scoring and tenacious on the puck. He would be a big loss for this team that is not a huge cap hit. Not sure of the cost to retain him. But he seems like a big piece to this team. BTW, I had no idea how fast Jake Neighbors was until watching him pull away on that break in the last game, wow. He has more upside than I originally thought.

by ICCFIM 1/18/2023 9:07:33 PM
With Barbashev, it's all about the money. Right now, according to CapFriendly.com, the Blues have only $12 million of projected cap space and just 13 players under contract for the 2023-24 season. So to reach the opening-day roster of 23 players, they have to somehow sign 10 more players for $12 million.
Barbashev is making $2.25 million this year. Don't you think he'll be asking for somewhere in the $3 million to $4 million a year range? How do you fit that in? And if you could only keep one of the two - who would you keep for next year - Acciari or Barbashev?
Now maybe Armstrong is able to move some money and free up some cap space. But he couldn't at the trade deadline last year, and it's going to be tough to do so against this year. That, my friend, is the dilemma.

by jthomas 1/18/2023 9:15:05 PM
Replace Torey Krug with a strong defensive defenseman that is not injured and this team is in a playoff spot, yes or no?

by ICCFIM 1/18/2023 9:15:58 PM
Do you mean, if you had a strong defensive D-man all of this season instead of Krug? Possibly.

by jthomas 1/18/2023 9:17:03 PM
Jim, Ryan O'Ry. Great player. The Blues do not have 3 centers better than he is. He will be 32 in a couple weeks. When people project his next contract they often have 5 years or so on it. Many times contract projections go into a players later 30's. Has this term ever been talked to with the player? Does Ryan have the same term? Perhaps 4 years is all he wants.

by Bighorn 1/18/2023 9:17:21 PM
I'm not sure if O'Reilly would settle for four years. I don't know if it's been talked about between O'Reilly's agent and the Blues But there's also the AAV. I think O'Reilly knows he's going to have to take a paycut, wherever it is. But to what? $5 million a year? Would he go as low as $4 million a year? Does he want to test the market at this time?

by jthomas 1/18/2023 9:20:28 PM
How about O'Reilly and Mikkola to Toronto, which gives them 2 very valuable players, in positions the Leafs really need.. Return would be a 1st rounder and one of their young studs? Would that be reasonable? Your thoughts Mr Jim....

by Pugger 1/18/2023 9:21:57 PM
Interesting. You have to keep in mind that you're getting a low first-rounder since the Leafs will be in the playoffs. But in my mind that would at least be a conversation starter.

by jthomas 1/18/2023 9:22:56 PM
Jim - not a question today, just a heartfelt thank you for all of the Blues fans who are donating blood. I was a blood donor for decades and never in my wildest dreams thought I would need any of it back. Two years ago I was diagnosed with a rare immune system/ bone marrow disease. Thanks to approximately 40 blood donors I am still a Blues fan and daily PD reader. We all bleed Blue but need red and white blood along with lots of platelets. Thanks to everyone who pays the gift of life forward!

by SF57 1/18/2023 9:23:17 PM
Thanks for this. Great to hear you're doing well. And if you donate blood here at Centene, you get a cool "I Bleed Blue" T-shirt.

by jthomas 1/18/2023 9:24:58 PM
Lots of good questions and comments today. We've got about a half hour left for anyone that wants to get a question in.

by jthomas 1/18/2023 9:26:36 PM
Jim -

Is Calle Rosen capable of being a legit offensive catalyst from the blue line for the Blues in the long run? He has some electric plays under his belt, but it seems he's always been considered a bit-part player. Can he become more than that?

by AG 1/18/2023 9:31:52 PM
Berube has said it several times and he said it again today when asked by Matt, Rosen needs to be stout on defense when it comes to the net front and wall play. But he's definitely made some eye-opening offensive plays.
Now, I think he's getting better in that area, but it's all about consistency over time.
And despite all of Rosen's improvement, it's probably what's keeping him from being more than a third-pairing D-man (for the most part) to this point.

by jthomas 1/18/2023 9:35:25 PM
OK, looks like that's it for today. Thanks again for your participation. Until next time. . . .

by jthomas 1/18/2023 9:41:41 PM